Eitsu's Nine Lives (永津の九生) [yuri/GL yokai reincarnation story]

27 - Hyakki Yagyou

"I'm home! We're home!" Ayame sang, running around the wooden docks. Tsubaki stood rigidly, only her eyes moving to scan the scene.

"He's not here." Eitsu nudged her gently. "Let's go."

"Where?"

"Hm... Hey, Aya-chan! Any idea where your dance company is right now?"

"Nope!" The young girl continued to run about giddily.

"No idea!" Eitsu grinned. "So... anywhere?"

Light flashed off the small red stone, glowing, hung around Tsubaki's neck as she fiddled with it. Eitsu arrested her fingers.

"Those guys gave us a bunch of protective talismans, and I'm stronger than I've been in lives. We'll be fine."

A warm inland breeze blew their hair about, making Ayame laugh wildly with happiness. "It's so warm here! The mountains were too cold!"

"A warm summer day, huh?" Eitsu's golden eyes sparkled. "Well, if we've got nowhere else to go, I have an idea."

*

The port of Chikyou mostly catered to the fishing industry, with only a small but regular trickle of travellers bound for Yuhai. A single old dock with a sea-battered sign indicated this destination. Only one other dock had a signpost, and it was barely legible and never used. The dock piers had begun to give up, sagging into the ocean and festooned with barnacles and seaweed as though it was not being reclaimed, but was some deep sea creature rising from the waters. Tsubaki said that the characters read as Meitsuki, Bright Moon, but no-one seemed to recognise the name.

As they left the salty air of Chikyou behind, following the path eastwards, the sea breeze dropped away and a humid heat rolled in behind it, and soon Tsubaki and Ayame were sweating. Gossipers at a roadside teashop told them that the dance troupe was in the north, almost at the border of the secluded kingdom of Chup-Tuk, the land of eternal winter, and Ayame groaned at the thought that she would have to return to cold weather.

For now, the muggy heat kept her happy, although Tsubaki was drooping like a wilted flower.

There was still no sign of Rei.

This was odd, but a welcome development. Eitsu had fully expected the kitsune to pounce on them as soon as they left Hanasan, but the days rolled on and there had been no sign of him.

"Where are we going, Eitsu-sama?" Ayame asked, as they left the teashop and continued at a leisurely pace.

"To find a bigger town. Why, are your feet sore?"

"Nope! I got really strong at Hanasan!"

"What about you, Little Flower? Want me to carry you?"

"Behave."

"No."

That afternoon, they eventually reached large town, around the same size as Koenmachi. This place was called Shyakumura. Tsubaki had performed here a few times. Ayame was too young to remember.

"I don't want to be recognised." The dancer hung back outside the town walls, her hands across her face. Their Hanasan garments had narrow sleeves, making them difficult to hide behind.

"That's perfect. I was going to get something to disguise you anyway."

"Don't spend all our money!" Ayame yelled as the kaibyou took off into the city. She was back within a span of four incense, carrying several bundles in her arms.

"You spent all the money that Master Zhou gave us, didn't you?" Ayame grumbled, preparing to criticise the goods that Eitsu had brought back. She gasped as several pretty garments unveiled themselves, along with two exquisitely rendered masks.